Method for the manufacture of artificial silk



July 4, 1933.- R. ETZKORN METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK5 1 5 WW 1 W YY\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\V\ Emma (M,Zzudalflizfiwvz.

Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUDOLF E'IZKORN, OFOBERBRUCH, GER-MANY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN GLANZSTOFF CORPORATION, OFNEVT YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METHOD FOR THElvfANU'FACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK Application filed March 25, 1932,Serial No. 601,296, and in Germany April 11, 1931.

My present invention relates to improvements in the manufacture ofartificial silk and the like by the spinning pot or centrifuge methodand more particularly to a method for reducing the power required torotate the spinning pots or centrifuges during the spinning operation.

In my co-pending application, Serial Number 596,040, filed March 1,1932, I have described a method of an apparatus for the manufacture ofartificial silk in which the thread is collected in a spinning potrotating in a substantially evacuated chamber and my present inventionrelates to an nnproyed process which will prevent air from entering thespinning pot chamber so that the Vacuum may be maintained in a moresatisfactory manner.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide an improvedprocess for the manufacture of artificial silk by leading the spunthread into a centrifuge located in an evacuated chamber together with aliquid whereby the ingress of air into said chamber is prevented. Otherobjects will become more apparent from a study of the follow-- ingdescription.

The accompanying drawing is indicative of the manner in which thisprocess may be carried out, and shows, in section, a spinning potarrangement whereby the ingress of air is prevented.

A spinning pot 10 is driven by a motor 11 through a shaft 12. Both themotor 11 and spinning pot 10 are housed in a suitable casing 13 which isdivided into two chambers by a partition 14. An opening 15 is providedin the partition 14 to accommodate the shaft 12. The motor may rest, forexample, on resilient supports 16. A cover 17 resting on a gasket 18 maybe provided for the top of the casing, the cover 17 seating on thegasket 18. This cover 17 is provided with suitable openings in which ispositioned a packing means 19 having a shoulder 20 formed thereon.Located between this shoulder and the cover is a gasket 21 which forms asuitable seal between the packing means and the shoulder. As shown, thepacking means is provided with a centrally located bore 22 in which islocated the spinning tube 23 attached to an arm 24 for impartingreciprocattion motion thereto. A vacuum line 25 is provided in thespinning pot chamber so that a vacuum may be readily created therein.The thread 26 is shown being led into a funnel 24 which is inserted inthe top of the spinning tube 23 through which the thread passes.

A suitable cellulosic solution is extruded into a coagulating orhardening bath and the thread thus produced is led into a spinning potor centrifuge rotatably mounted in an evacuated chamber. The threadpasses into the chamber through a narrow opening formed therein and isplaced in the rotating spinning pot by means of any conventionalreciprocating thread guide. ater or spin ning bath solutions are ledcontinuously with the thread through the opening in the chamber and thusair is prevented from entering the chamber. Such use of water ortreating liquid is by no means detrimental to the spinning operationsince the presence of such liquids is desirable in all wet spinningprocesses where acids, lyes etc., are used.

The entrance of the liquids into the centrifuge chamber cuts down theenergy consumption to a minimum. Since the amount of air which can enterthe chamber, according to the above described method, is very small, theuse of expensive and high powered vacuum pumps to create the desiredvacuum is avoided. The liquid which has been sucked in can be removedeither by the vacuum pumps or can be readily removed by liquid suctionpumps or other suitable means.

Having now described my invention as required by the patent statutes,what I desire toclaim as new is:

1. A process for the reduction of the energy consumption for rotatingspinning pots which comprises enclosing the spinning pot in an evacuatedchamber, leading the thread into said chamber through a narrow openingand in maintaining a constant flow of liquid through said opening duringthe spinning operation whereby the ingress of air into said chamber isprevented.

2. In the manufacture of artificial silk and the like by the potspinning process, in which the spinning pots are positioned in anevacuated chamber, the step of maintaining a constant flow of liquidinto said chamber whereby the ingress of air thereinto is prevented.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

RUDOLF ETZKORN.

